Healthy Living and Protein

So it has been a few months since I have been on this Herbalifestyle (ha ha) and so far I have to say the results have been phenomenal.

What started off as a simple direct mission for weight loss, ended up being a complete detox and rebuild of my life which in turn propelled me into a mission of growth.

Two events that occurred today, inspired me to write this post. First, was the realization that in the past, I used to be a heavy coffee drinker. I used to drink coffee at least 4 times a day. It would literally be very unhealthy amounts of coffee consumed but I always figured, well they help me use the bathroom and give me energy so why not, right?

With being months deep into Herbalife and forgetting my tea today, I tried to drink my first cup of coffee in a long time. I could only take a few sips before I decided to pour it in the sink and toss it out.  I honestly was in disbelief at how much I was able to wean myself from coffee to the point where I don’t even crave coffee at all. I actually had natural energy that I was able to stretch for the whole day. Thanks to my program I drink green tea and aloe at least once or twice a day.

Second, was being able to share resources and information I obtained from my Herbalife program to someone very close to me to provide encouragement and mental support. I did this with someone today by strongly suggesting to listen to TD Jake’s speaking “On Leadership”. I just felt useful to be able to offer something like this to someone for motivation.

I also want to discuss why I’m still on it, even though I have reached my weight goal. I really wanted to wait until I spent a little bit of time on it to really have given it a shot. To start, before I even got on the program, I have not been on any type of structured eating schedule and have not been drinking as much water as I thought I have been. I had already lost some weight post pregnancy on my own. This turned into a way for me to taking a real good look at how my eating habits were. It took a few months to really get into the swing of things but once I understood how it actually works, I took it seriously.

The controversy with protein shakes is that it’s not “food” and that it’s a “diet” shake meant to make you skinny only. I have actually found that Herbalife, although different in its own right, is similar to many supplements out there on the market that assists with weight management which is in essence modifiable based on what your goals are. A person like me who exercises regularly needs more protein to help my results go from “meh” to “wow”. (Georgie Fear, RD). I found that Herbalife was giving me the protein I need for muscle recovery.

Herbalife also has the ability to provide vitamins and minerals for people who are on the go, not eating enough, and for people who’s intention to lose weight. For the most part, unless you’re eating certain foods RAW (and some raw foods contain pesticides and chemicals), you are stripping away the enzymes that most raw foods have that are necessary for your body to function properly and well. (Dr. Mercola).

Overall, the diet or lifestyle change is based on your goals. Mine at first was to lose weight but since I decided I want to be toned, I realize that it’s a different way I need to consume protein and structure my workout plan. Ultimately it still involves protein consumption to support weight training.

When I decided on toning up, I found myself on another side of a spectrum that I never knew existed which ended up in my seeking resources and credible articles to help me understand where I’m trying to go as well as how to get there.

Small backstory. I used to be overweight growing up. I endured bullying and by High School I lost pretty much all the excess weight I had carried with me through most of my childhood. I had literally gone to the gym everyday and never did anything structured. I always just did my own thing and left. I eventually just got really skinny which looked unhealthy considering my height. I, at the time, didn’t know about protein intake post workout, pre-workouts, or even how to eat properly. End.

I am now in a place where I have experienced being inexperienced deciding to become a little bit more familiar with what I should be doing on a daily basis for proper weight management. These are things I have learned within the last few months after getting into my program with Herbalife.

What I have been taught throughout my journey also, is the importance of consistency and self-discipline. These will take you further because when you are disciplined you are showing your commitment to your results.

It is your mind which is the foundation of how far your actions will take your intentions. The more positive and motivational thoughts that you allow enter your mind, the more determined you become. It can potentially train your mind to speak to you in moments you need it. (Dr. Kell)

Maybe Herbalife isn’t for you or maybe it is. Who’s really to say unless you tried it? But I just know that much of my physical and mental aspects have changed since I started.

No, I am not providing you a biased opinion and I was not paid to write this. Trust me when I say I was hesitant at first, wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into, and feeling very skeptical. I have also experimented in which I have stopped taking Herbalife to see what would happen and have been completely fine. All of this was just to detail my experience with it and to educate on the actual purpose of protein powder consumption. I’ve linked resources from reputable sources below for more specific information.

Pretty happy with where I’m at today and I’ve still got long to grow. If it seems like something you want to try or get into, let me know! The beauty of it is that it’s not only just for weight management but also for many other health benefits such as digestive, skin, etc.

Free wellness profile & meal plan by clicking:

https://marthadonis.goherbalife.com/Account/Register/Index/en-US?returnUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fmarthadonis.goherbalife.com%2FCatalog%2FHome%2FIndex%2Fen-US

Before starting any new diet or workout regime please consult with your doctor first.

Love,
Martha

References:
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/11/10/cooked-food-diet.aspx

Does Listening to Motivational Speakers Really Make a Difference?

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/protein-powder-guide

Disclaimer:

Consumers who use Herbalife Formula 1 twice per day as part of a healthy lifestyle can generally expect to lose around 0.5 to 1 pound per week. Participants in a 12-week, single-blind, study used Formula 1 twice per day (once as a meal and once as a snack) with a reduced calorie diet and a goal of 30 minutes of exercise per day. Participants followed either a high protein diet or a standard protein diet. Participants in both groups lost about 8.5 pounds.

Sautéed Shrimp & Zucchinni

Hi guys, welcome back! So I know I did promise a Shrimp & Zucchini recipe for you guys to try. It’s super quick and easy not to mention deeeeelicious! I came up with this one day because Kroger’s was selling a bag of shrimp for like $13 dollars. I was like whaattt *grabs bag*. Lately we have been on this zucchini craving lately so I went and bought a few to cut up and sauté. The day came to make a quick dinner and it only took about 10-15 minutes to make! Like I said, so quick and easy especially for people who want to meal plan or just eat something quick but filling.

So first, grab a nice bag of shrimp, I would recommend the big ones, I grabbed a 21/25 count, because they get smaller once they cook a little in the pan (as I’ve discovered on my own).

This can serve around 3-4 and does not require much prepping.

Make sure to have:

  • 1 TBSP Butter
  • 1 TBSP Olive oil
  • 1 medium uncooked zucchini (cut into 1/4 inch slices)
  • 1/2 TBS Garlic powder
  • 1/2 TBS Parsley
  • 1/4 TSP Black pepper
  • 1/2 TSP Salt
  • 1/2 Cup grape tomatoes (optional)
  • 1.5 cups of large-size pealed shrimp

What I did first was cut up the zucchini first into 1/4 inch slices and put it on the side.

Then I placed the olive oil in the pan and waited a few minutes to get hot. How I can tell if the pan is hot sometimes is I splash a little water and if it crackles, it’s pretty good on heat.

Then I place the zucchini slices in the pan and cook until it’s golden on both sides by mixing and flipping the zucchinis for around 5 minutes, during this time I sprinkle over the black pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Once it’s cooked I place it on the side.

Next, I put butter in my pan, assuming it’s still on and hot (using a check method first) I go ahead and add my shrimp to the pan and start moving it around to get the shrimp cooked on all sides. During this time I am adding my parsley in between and making sure all of the shrimp is lightly covered (add more if needed). The shrimp is cooked when you no longer see the greys and translucent of the shrimp. It should be a reddish, pink color.

I add my tomatoes at the end and let it cook with the shrimp by tossing and moving it around in the pan until the tomatoes are softened. Then I put my zucchini back in the pan to get hot and voila I’m done!

Now you can serve and what would be recommended is 1 and 1/4 cups to serve or however you decide you would like to eat it. Make sure you keep in mind portion control! Small meat, more veggies, and small complex carbs.

Unfortunately my husband loves the white rice and pasta so I had to make him white rice. I stuck with my shrimp and veggies though to keep it disciplined.

It is a HARD road to be disciplined but believe me, it will totally pay off in the long run and I will keep posting more healthy meal ideas for you health lovers and weight watchers.

Until next time.

Love,

Martha

Zoombeezi Bay Day

So this morning I woke up with motivation. I realize now what they say when they say waking up feels so much better with purpose. I woke up thinking, what are my goals for today?

So I scooted my booty out of bed, this after my daughter and husband go downstairs to get some breakfast, and make my way to the kitchen. I make myself an energizing protein shake and drink an energizing metabolism boosting tea and aloe mixture. I did a few reps and sets of workouts I found on my Pinterest to start my day and soon after went to a Japanese hibachi steakhouse for lunch. I made it a point to eat mostly veggies and scallops over the steak but did dip into the steamed white rice that I was given with my meal.

Later we went to Zoombeezi bay and swam in the lazy pool and tidy tides that are at the water park. It was a beautiful Sunday to say the least. I literally just woke up from a nap but I had to finish my day off with a blueberry cheesecake shake (recipe below).

Blueberry Cheesecake:


2 scoops of CNC/Vanilla/FV 

1 scoop of Vanilla Protein.

1/2 cup of blueberries 

1 TBSP of sugar free cheesecake pudding mix. 

8 oz of water or unsweetened almond milk.

Blend that all in a Nutri Bullet or blender and then on a second run add 4 cubes of ice. That will make your shake so much more thicker and smooth.

I found this to always be my go to when I drink my shakes because it always tastes good and it’s easy and fast to make. My mornings and afternoons get so much easier because of this and I soon find myself coming home during my lunch hours for these shakes so that I won’t go off and spend money eating out. Love Herbalife for helping me make sound choices and having a wonderful support system.

I have converted to distributor but I believe it’s taking a while for Herbalife to complete my application, I can’t wait to start this journey and help people with their wellness and health that I’m so anxious for the application process to complete. 

Love,

Martha